potential engine purchase, have some questions

i made a post on a local ford forum about the kind of engine i was looking for

just something stock/mild in good condition that doesnt need any internal rebuilding. and i mentioned that i planned on running the car with a carb, mechanical fuel pump and the only belt accesories being the water pump and alternator.


so one of the locals who has a spped shop and advertises on that site mentioned this to me. it sounds like what im looking for and its right around what i was looking to pay but not being the SBF guru that alot of the members here are i thought i'd post it up to get some opinions and maybe a list of follow up questions i should ask the seller.

Thanks

 

Looks like it would work and has the potential you are looking for. Have you got the rest of the parts that will be needed? (a tired 302 you can swap tin and carb from?

 

no, im going from a straight 6 so i'll have to hunt out everything not included

is the front sump pan what im looking for? and are those heads he mentions somethingspecial?

this engine poped up this morning on the local craigs list so its also an option. i sent the seller an email just now expressing intrest as well

its not a roller but it sounds like it has a little more work done to it. he doesnt mention anything about the heads tho so im not sure if this is just a short block but since he mentions an intake im assuming theres something between that and the block

 

You will need that front sump pan for a Maverick.
The heads are just fine for a motor with mild to moderate mods.
Your original engine sounds like a better deal for the same money. The second one you posted was just refreshed - not rebuilt. It won't last as long as the first one.

 

i dont think the 1st one was rebuilt either. i just got the impression he changed out a few gaskets and did some bolt on's on an other wise healthy engine. the 2nd guy mentions replacing alot more internals components. but there's no point in speculating. ive got emails out to both sellers so i'll see what they come back with

 

Other than the fact the 85 block is a roller (but not the "better" roller block used in 86-up vehicles) the 68 motor sounds like a better deal, depending on the price. The 85 roller blocks aren't as strong as the 86-2001 blocks. Ford added another 6 lbs of iron in the deck and bore bottoms with the 86-2001 blocks. The E7 heads are nothing special, they're good heads (after some port work) but these were used on all 87-97 E & F series trucks and vans, and the 87-95 Stangs, plus a few other applications.

 

One other thing also. If you plan to use a stock column shifter, you will need the old block. It has a pivot point for the linkeage that the late model wont have. Just an fyi.

 

you can buy the clutch linkage bracket for the late model block or fabricate one ...I made mine...no big deal

 

i thought this only applied to manual cars? Im sticking with the auto


The owner of the '86 engine got back to me with this...

the small bell c4 would be a 6cyl car and the larg bell would be the SBF pattern?

and what would be the best option for a dizzy? ive got DSII stock in the car buy obviously i wont be able to use that dizzy lol. ive also read that using an old 70's dizzy in a roller block will cause the gear on the roller cam to rip up the dizzy gear

 

Buying a used engine is always tricky, I myself would go for the roller motor, your not building a race car, so the difference in the 85 block to the 68, you'll never see, the problem with just re-ringing an old engine like the 68 is, you don't know the miles it had on it, it may have needed to be bored, who knows.
I have E7TE heads the engine going into my 73, no big deal, just a lot better than the stock heads from the 70's.
Your going floor shift so you don't need to worry about the pivot.
For the distributor I would buy one of the Pertronix ones, they can be found for a good price on Ebay.
Too bad you wern't closer, I'd give you your pick of 302's, I have a few 74's, a 88 & a 93.

 

heres anther engine ive also been contacted about

 

Tony, my first thought was to go with the 1968 motor, but then, in my life every engine I ever bought has just been refreshed. I been told that so many times that I no longer even listen to when someone tells me that, 99% of the time they were at best refreshed, or simply cleaned and painted. The 1968 would be the most simple drop in swap cause it has the front sump pan. But unless I could hear it run, I wouldnt pay more than $500.00 for it. The roller motors will need swap out stuff that will add to your final cost. Would be nice if you could run across a deal from someone taking a good running V8 and trans that was upgrading to a later model motor. I have bought a couple just like that in the last few years.
Dan
ps edit here. Saw in your other post that Sam M. has an engine close to you. I suggest you contact him.

 

cool, thanks for the input guys

and sam has a PM in his inbox

 

The shifter deal with the block does apply to auto cars. And their might be some way around it, but i put a floor shifter in my 74 i had. Its just the lack of a hole the linkage goes into in the side if the block.

 

hmm ok, i'll have to do some research then. since there was alot of carry over between 250's and 302's i may be able to get away with it but IDK for sure. if not i'll just throw a cable shifter in there and be dont with it